Car-unloading apparatus.



E. C. GLEDHILL.

CAR UNLOADI'NG APPARATUS.

APPLICATION min wLY 2s. m4.

Patented @11.16.1917.

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. sliding covers or EDWARD c. GLEDHIL'L, enrroiv, oHIo.

Original application filed March 31, 1914, Serial No. 828,551.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Jan. 16, 1917.

Divided and this application led July 28,

1914. Serial No. 853,699.

To all whom it may concern:

Beit known that I, EDWARD C. GLEDHiLL, citizen of the United States, residing at Galion, in the' county of Crawford and State of Ohio, have invented certain new and use-v ful improvements in Car-Unloading Apparatus, of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to unloading apparatus and this application is a division of an application filed by me March 31, 1914, Serial No. 828,551, the claims herein being confined to a species illustrated and described but not specifically claimed in said application and no claim to the` generic invention being made herein.

The drawing is a sectional elevation of an apparatus embodying the present invention.

In carrying out my present invention, I arrange below the railroad track, indicated at 1, a box or hopper 2, which will be of such dimensions that it may fit between two of the railroad ties `and extend beyond the side of the track so as to accommodate the lower portion of an endless apron or conveyer. In the top of this box is provided a plurality of openings 3 which may be independently closed or opened by means of doors t mounted on the under side'of the top of the box. This arrangement permits any one of the openings to be uncovered while retaining all theA others in lclosed condition.

A pocket or boot 11 `is carried by the lower end of an elevator frame 5 and is disposed within the receiving box or hopper 2, an elevator consisting of an endless chain of buckets 10 being carried by said frame and operating in said boot or pocket.

The shaft L13, which carries the lower roller for the elevator, is equipped with a crank 44 at one end and a pitman 4-5 is pivoted tothe outer end of said crank, the opposite end of said pitman being pivoted to the side of a is hung within the receiving box 2 by means of links 1"( and is provided with a series of stepped surfaces L18 on its bottom. The feeding table is disposed with the end more remote from the elevator higher than the end nearer theelevator so that there will be a tendency of the material disposed on the feeding table to gravitate to the elevator. T his tendency of the material is increased by the oscillation imparted to the table through the crank 4.4 and the` pitman 4.5

feed table or box 16 whichy which will cause the steps 48 to positively feed the material into the pocket or boot l1 from which it will be taken up by the elevator.

The device is preferably portable and is, therefore, mounted on a wheeled truck 22 which may also support a gas engine or other motor for operating the conveyer through a belt 23 and pulley 24. The upper portion of the conveyer frame is supported by standards 25 which are preferably extensible or otherwise adjustable and the lower portion of the said frame is carried by levers 26 fulcrumed on the truck and manipulated by links 27 extending forwardly thereon. The conveyer frame may thus be readily adjusted to any desired inclination and at the upper end of the conveyer is a chute 28 by which the material may be directed into a bin, wagon, or other receptacle.

It is thought the operation and advantages of my improved apparatus will be readily understood from the foregoing description taken in connection with the accompanying drawings. The car to be unloaded is drawn to a point over the receiving box 2 and the material within the car permitted to flow slowly therefrom onto the top of the box. lOne of the openings 3 in the top of the box is uncovered .and the material will then drop through said opening onto the feed table for delivery to the elevator. When all of the material over one of the openings in the receiving box has been taken up by the elevator another opening is uncovered and a second quantity of material will be transferred to the bin or wagon. This operation is repeated until the entire car load of material has been transferred.

The apparatus is exceedingly simple in the construction and arrangement of its parts and will be found highly efficient for the purposes for which it is designed.

.The receiving box need not be very large and will be found of suiicient capacity if it be of such width that it maybe placed between two of the railroad ties if the same are ordinarily spaced apart.

Having thus described the invention what is claimed as new is 1.1The combination with a receiving box having its top open at one end and provided with a discharge opening for the passage of an elevator carried by the truck and having its lower end extending through the open end of the top of the receiving box, a vboot carried by the lower end of the elevator, a feeding table having its discharge end positioned above'the boot, links forming a pivotal connection between the feeding table and the receiving box, means for driving the elevator, a connection between the elevator and the feeding table for imparting a reciprocatory motion to said table, and a connection between the elevator and truck for adjusting the lower end of the elevator longitudinallyT of the receiving box.

2. The combination with a receiving box adapted to be positioned beneath a vehicle runway and having its top open at one end and provided with a discharge opening for the passage of material deposited upon said top, of an elevator having its lower end extending through the open end of the top and including a shaft, a boot carried by the lower end-of the elevator, a feeding table suspended from the top of the receiving box and mounted for reciprocating movement therein, a crank secured to the elevator shaft, a pitrnan forming a connection between the crank and feeding table, and means connected with the elevator for adjusting said elevator together with the boot and feeding table longitudinally of the receiving box.

In testimony whereof I aflix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

EDWARD C. GLEDHILL. [Ls] W'itnesses MENZANITA SMITH, CARL J. GUGLER.

Copies of this natent may be obtained for ve cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents, Washington, D. C. 

